Half Of Me

Album: Unapologetic (2012)
Charted: 75
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This bonus track from the deluxe edition of Unapologetic finds Rihanna explaining that she's more than just surface. "Saw me on the television, that's just the half," she sings. "You saw the half of it. This is the life I live, and that's just the half of it."
  • Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé and her frequent collaborator Naughty Boy (real name Shahid Khan) wrote the song. Speaking with Guilty Pleasures, Khan revealed how this song made Rihanna weep. "When they played it to her she cried," he said. "It was the week her grandmother died and it's quite an emotional song."
  • The Norwegian duo Stargate produced the track. It is one of four on Unapologetic that they helmed, including the hit single, "Diamonds."
  • Sandé has also written songs for the likes of Leona Lewis and Alicia Keys. During an interview on Fresh 102.7's Jim & Kim Show, the Scot was asked if she ever feels that her songs misinterpreted by the artists? She replied: "No, I've never had that feeling. When you can it's great to get in the studio with them. When I was writing for Rihanna we met up in LA and she told me what she was feeling, and what she wanted in the song. You're tailoring the song for someone specifically."
  • The version that was played for Rihanna was just the demo recorded by Emeli Sandé and Naughty Boy on their iPhone. Naughty Boy told Source magazine: "I suppose it just proves that any song doesn't have to be the best version of it as long as you can hear the song and you can feel the song – even an iPhone demo."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.